Trioncube

A quirky DS puzzler with a plot.

The videogaming word has seen many falling-block puzzle titles over the years,
from Tetris to Lumines -- but it's
rare that we've seen these blocks involved in an actual plot. However, Namco Bandai's upcoming Trioncube gives puzzle-with-a-plot a shot: Players must form a series of 3-by-3 blocks to "power" a penguin-shaped spaceship named the Penko as it pursues a princess kidnapped by a nefarious three-eyed cloud named Hell Metal.

...OK, so maybe there's a reason we haven't seen too many plot-based puzzlers. But while Trioncube's story may be lacking, its gameplay is surprisingly robust, with four main modes: Arcade, Story, Endless, and Versus. Story mode features a wide variety of scenarios as you pursue Hell Metal over 40 levels. For example, you might use the blocks to battle baddies, race a rival spaceship to the goal, or zip through a meteor shower. Endless mode is a "how long can you last?" test of endurance, while Versus allows one-on-one duels via local Wi-Fi or download play.

Much of Trioncube's charm -- and appeal -- comes from its unique art style and storytelling. Everything is presented in colorful, childlike sketches, and the plot is told through pictures, not words. Adding to the eccentricity is King Pluto, an odd, possibly demonic entity who delivers bizarre between-level non sequiturs in the spirit of Katamari Damacy's King of All Cosmos.

We've had a chance to play through the Japanese import, and we've found a reasonably compelling puzzler. However, one concern is that success often seems based on luck rather than skill -- getting a series of helpful block shapes, while always important in puzzle games, seems all the more important in Trioncube. Still, it looks like this may be a solid choice for quirky-game fans and puzzle aficionados when it's released in February.